Diaphragm relay

ABSTRACT

A relay of the diaphragm operated type which is compact and which has a chamber on one side having an adjustable throttle valve leading to the atmosphere which is operable for regulating the operating speed of the relay.

[151 3,681,720 [451 Aug. 1, 1972 2,630,886 3/1953 Lindahl...,...... ...335/61 2,657,037 10/1953 Braun.............................251/55 2,792,536 5/1957 lmmel...........................335/279 3,174,716 3/1965 Salter..................... ....25l/l29 Primary Examiner-Harold Broome Attorney-Walter Becker [57] ABSTRACT A relay of the diaphragm operated type which is compact and which has a chamber on one side having an adjustable throttle valve leading to the atmosphere which is operable for regulating the operating speed of the relay.

13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 0 United States Patent Priesemuth Wolfgang Priesemuth, Postkamp 13, 221 ltzehoe, Germany Aug. 2, 1971 Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 1, 1970 Germany.............P 20 38 447.8

[52] U.S. 335/240 [51] Int. 7/03 [58] Field of Search......335/61, 59, 60, 63, 239, 240, 335/279; 251/55, 129, 141

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,029,374 2/1936 Houston ....251/141 DIAPHRAGM RELAY [72] Inventor:

[22] Filed:

[21] Appl. No.: 168,038

. V V/////////AV/ PATENIEmus H972 3.681.720

sum 1 UF 3 4 A ZMF. 2 naw/"WWW m H H. 3 7 PM lnrenfar' 2mwy/a PATENTEnAus' 1 1912 3.681. 720

SHEET 2 BF 3 lnren/an 927 Wham/v1? 8 sa m DIAPHRAGM RELAY The invention relates to a diaphragm relay provided with pneumatic delay means in the form of a cylindrical air chamber having a throttling opening and closed by an airtight sealing member in the form of a diaphragm connected to a magnet armature and switch contacts.

Conventional diaphragm relays have a structural height that is excessive for some applications. They do not usefully employ the entire internal space enclosed by the body of the relay for forming the magnetic circuit and their efficiency is therefore, not optimal.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a relay of the above specified kind which has a low structural height and operates at maximum efiiciency. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial section taken on the line [-1 of FIG. 2 showing a diaphragm relay according to the invention with one switching contact,

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken on the line II-lI of FIG. 2 showing a diaphragm relay according to the invention with a transverse holder placed at right angles to the switch member,

FIGS. 3 and 4 are a cross section on the line llI-Ill of FIG. 4 and a plan view respectively of a contact carrier,

FIG. 5 is an axial section through a diaphragm relay similar to that of FIG. 1 but with a plurality of contacts,

FIG. 6 is a typical circuit diagram incorporating a diaphragm relay according to the invention.

According to the invention the above mentioned objects have been realized by the provision of a magnetizable metal diaphragm disposed in close proximity with a central magnet core and functioning as a magnet armature, which completes the magnetic circuit radially outwards.

According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, the metal diaphragm is covered with a rubber or plastics foil.

It is also preferred firmly to affix to the metal diaphragm a contact carrier made of a material that is a good conductor of electricity and possibly also magnetizable.

Advantageously, the contact carrier may have the shape of a spider or spoked wheel.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the center portion of the diaphragm has the shape of a conical frustrum projecting towards the magnet core and into a corresponding concentric recess in the magnet core.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the diaphragm relay shown therein consists primarily of a divided casing 1, a one-piece mount 2, a magnetic return 3 with a magnetic core 4, and a diaphragm 5 adapted to function as an annature. In the bottom part of the mount 2 a suitably disposed annular groove there is provided a winding 6. The connections to and from the winding are passed through a bore 7 in the maging 1 and the mount 2. The center of the magnetic return 3 forms a core 4 provided with a coaxial throttling bore 10. The cross section of this bore is controllable by a throttling screw 1 l.

The upper end of the throttling bore 10 conically widens at 50 toward the diaphragm 5. A correspondingly conically shaped central portion 12 of the diaphragm 5 projects into the said enlargement 5a. The diaphragm 5 consists of magnetizable metal. Diaphragm 5 is clamped flat into the walls of the mount 2 and seals an airtight cylindrical chamber 13 formed in part by the mount 2. An annular corrugation or bead l4 projecting into the cylindrical air chamber 13 facilitates elastic deflection of the diaphragm 5 towards the magnet core 4.

The top side of the diaphragm 5, which faces away from the cylindrical air chamber 13, is covered with an annular sealing plastics foil 15. The central opening of foil 15 corresponds in size to the size of the conical portion 12 of diaphragm 5. The plastics foil 15 is located between the metallic diaphragm 5 and a contact carrier 16 the central portion 17 of which is shaped conically to conform with the central portion 12 of the metallic diaphragm 5 into which it projects. The crests of the two conical central portions 12 and 17 are connected to each other for instance by welding. With the exception of the central portion 17, the annular surface 18 of the contact carrier 16 is divided by radial incisions so that a multiplicity of circular sectors 19 are formed, separated by the gaps 20 but connected together by the central portion 17.

The contact carrier 16 has a corrugation or bead 21 which corresponds to the corrugation or bead 14 in the diaphragm 5 but has a more square section and projects in the opposite direction. Apart from facilitating flexure of the contact carrier 15, this corrugation 21 serves for securing a snap-action contact member 22 which consists of a rectangular piece of spring steel sheet. This piece of spring steel forms a frame 24 with a contact web or blade 25. The contact blade 25 extends between the shorter sides of the frame 24 and bridges the opening in the center of frame 24. When the snap action member 22 is operated, the contact blade 25 passes through the open center of the frame 24.

Where the deflection path of blade 25 is longest, the contact blade 25 carries a contact 23 connected thereto by a rivet 26. Contact 23 cooperates with a fixed contact 27 which faces it, and which is attached by a rivet 29 to a transverse holder or web 28. This holder 28 is insulated from the contact carrier 16 and the diaphragm 5 by a spacing ring 30 located in the mount 2. Holder 28 is held in place by a retaining ring 31 screwed into the mount 2. The holder 28 extends across the mount 2 either parallel (FIG. 1) or at right angles (FIG. 2) to the direction of the snap action member 22.

When the windings are energized, a magnetic field builds up between the magnet core 4, the magnetic return 3, and the metallic diaphragm 5. Since this extends into the walls of the mount 2 the magnetic field fills the entire cylindrical air chamber 13. The relay thus works with a high degree of efficiency.

The magnetic forces attract the metallic diaphragm 5 and the contact carrier 16 which kink or bend inwardly towards the magnet core 4 along the corrugations 14, 21. The frame 24 of the snap action member 22 flexes in the same direction and thus causes the contact blade 25 to snap through the central opening in the frame 24. The contact 23 is therefore withdrawn from the fixed contact 27. The supply of current to a consumer, assumed to be an incandescent lamp 32, and to the winding 6 is interrupted.

Due to the deflection of the diaphragm the air is displaced from the cylindrical air chamber 13 through the throttling bore 10. When the diaphragm 5 returns, air is drawn in by suction through the throttling cross section 10. Both operations are delayed in conformity with the adjustment of the throttle. The controlled operating time of the consumer at 32 are correspondingly delayed. The relay which thus has a delayed operation and release response contains a high ohmic winding or coil to protect the consumer 32, arranged in series, with said coil against the high closing current. Preferably a resistor 33 is provided as a shunt.

Another embodiment of the relay according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 5. According to this arrangement, supplementary fixed contacts 35 are provided inside the cylindrical air chamber 13 for cooperation with corresponding contacts 34 on the underside of the diaphragm 5. The fixed contacts 35 are connected by an electrical conductor 36 to the terminals 8, said conductor being insulated from the diaphragm 5 by a spacing ring 39 in the mount 2. The contacts 34 and 35 are adapted to control additional consumers, whereas the contacts 23, 27 of the snap action switch 22 control the windings which in this instance have a low ohmic resistance. This relay has no time delayed operating action because the air can escape from the air chamber 13 through additional air vents 37 when the diaphragm 5 is deflected. These air vents 37 are themselves controlled by a check valve 38 which has the form of a ring centered on the magnet core. The check valve 38 opens the vents 37 only to permit air to escape from the air chamber 13. When the diaphragm 5 returns, the inflowing air can enter only through the throttling bore and this movement is therefore much slower than that of the primary or attracting deflection of the diaphragm. This embodiment of the relay is particularly suitable for controlling a plurality of consumers 32 by the contacts 34, 35. The width of the air gap between these two contacts 34, 35 determines the ratio between the switch-on time and the switch-off time of the consumer 32. By the provision of supplementary magnet armatures and by subdividing the windings additional systems can be controlled.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the specific showing in the drawings but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A relay comprising: a housing, a circular magnetic diaphragm in said housing forming a chamber therein on one side of said diaphragm, a restricted passage leading from said chamber to the atmosphere, switch core ad'acent dia hra an d coil cans in sa'd housing energi a le for r g gnetizmg sgd magnetic frame.

2. A relay according to claim 1 which includes a nonmetallic foil on said diaphragm.

3. A relay according to claim 1 in which said contact means comprise contacts coaxial with said diaphragm.

4. A relay according to claim 1 which includes an electrically conductive carrier for said moveable contact means clamped to said diaphragm on the side thereof facing said contact means.

5. A relay according to claim 4 in which said carrier is circular and the same size as said diaphragm and is clamped to the diaphragm at the periphery thereof.

6. A relay according to claim 5 in which said carrier is in the form of a spider.

7. A relay according to claim 1 which includes a snap action element supporting said moveable contact means.

8. A relay according to claim 1 in which said moveable contact means includes a moveable contact coaxial with said diaphragm, a snap action element comprising a frame with a central snap portion on which said moveable contact is mounted, said snap portion having two stable positions in flexed positions of said frame, a carrier clamped to the diaphragm on the side facing said contact means, and opposite edges of said frame being clamped to the periphery of said carrier.

9. A relay according to claim 1 in which said diaphragm has a frusto-conical protrusion thereon in the center on the side facing said core, said core having a frusto-conical recess aligned with and facing said protrusion.

10. A relay according to claim 1 which includes further moveable contact means on said diaphragm on the side facing said chamber, and fixed contact means carried by the housing in said chamber and cooperating with the moveable contact means on the diaphragm in flexed condition of said diaphragm.

- 11. A relay according to claim 1 in which said bore extends through said core, and a throttling element adjustably mounted in said bore.

12. A relay according to claim 1 which includes a check valve opening from said chamber toward the atmosphere.

13. A relay according to claim 1 which includes an electrically nonconductive mounting member in said housing and cooperating with said diaphragm to form said chamber, said mounting member being disposed inside said magnetic frame, and said coil means being mounted on said mounting member. 

1. A relay comprising: a housing, a circular magnetic diaphragm in said housing forming a chamber therein on one side of said diaphragm, a restricted passage leading from said chamber to the atmosphere, switch contact means in said housing on the side of the diaphragm opposite said chamber including fixed contact means stationary in the housing and moveable contact means operable in response to flexing of the diaphragm to open and close on said fixed contact means, a magnetic frame in said housing including a core adjacent said diaphragm, and coil means in said housing energizable for magnetizing said magnetic frame.
 2. A relay according to claim 1 which includes a nonmetallic foil on said diaphragm.
 3. A relay according to claim 1 in which said contact means comprise contacts coaxial with said diaphragm.
 4. A relay according to claim 1 which includes an electrically conductive carrier for said moveable contact means clamped to said diaphragm on the side thereof facing said contact means.
 5. A relay according to claim 4 in which said carrier is circular and the same size as said diaphragm and is clamped to the diaphragm at the periphery thereof.
 6. A relay according to claim 5 in which said carrier is in the form of a spider.
 7. A relay according to claim 1 which includes a snap action element supporting said moveable contact means.
 8. A relay according to claim 1 in which said moveable contact means includes a moveable contact coaxial with said diaphragm, a snap action element comprising a frame with a central snap portion on which said moveable contact is mounted, said snap portion having two stable positions in flexed positions of said frame, a carrier clamped to the diaphragm on the side facing said contact means, and opposite edges of said frame being clamped to the periphery of said carrier.
 9. A relay accOrding to claim 1 in which said diaphragm has a frusto-conical protrusion thereon in the center on the side facing said core, said core having a frusto-conical recess aligned with and facing said protrusion.
 10. A relay according to claim 1 which includes further moveable contact means on said diaphragm on the side facing said chamber, and fixed contact means carried by the housing in said chamber and cooperating with the moveable contact means on the diaphragm in flexed condition of said diaphragm.
 11. A relay according to claim 1 in which said bore extends through said core, and a throttling element adjustably mounted in said bore.
 12. A relay according to claim 1 which includes a check valve opening from said chamber toward the atmosphere.
 13. A relay according to claim 1 which includes an electrically nonconductive mounting member in said housing and cooperating with said diaphragm to form said chamber, said mounting member being disposed inside said magnetic frame, and said coil means being mounted on said mounting member. 